In "China Beach" on ABC, Lake starred as Holly Pelagrino, alias Holly the Donut Dolly. Lake starred in "China Beach" for a year, but when she eventually left this show she found it very difficult to find another television job as her weight had reached 250 pounds.

She then stuck to a strict vegetarian diet and exercised and lost more than 125 pounds, half her original weight. She also started supporting animal rights causes.

Now a svelte shadow of her original self, she launched a talk show, aimed at a young adult audience, concentrating on social issues and relationship problems. This made her one of America's most popular talk show hosts, who is internationally syndicated.

As well as a career as a film and television actress, animal rights activist and a top talk show host, Lake has recently acted on stage by starring in an off broadway production of "The Vagina Monologues" alongside Teri Hatcher.

Ricki Lake now lives in Manhattan with her husband, Rob Sussman, a political illustrator. They married in Las Vegas in March 1994. Lake and Sussman have to two children together, both boys, Milo Sebastian and Owen Tyler Sussman .